There are surprisingly few sources for speed of travel in ancient times in
Egypt. The river offered the most reliable communications path; speed on the
river depends on direction, current, wind, type of boat, expertise of crew,
and local navigational obstacles such as sandbanks, as well as the time
of year (affecting the height of the river). The four maps below illustrate
the time taken for specific journeys documented in ancient written sources.
The most detailed description preserved is written by Pliny (Naturalis Historia
6, 100 - 106). He reports twelve days for a journey from Juliopolis (near
Alexandria) to Koptos.